Sports briefs for Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012

Husson’s Morris to coach in All-American Bowl

Husson University football assistant coach Chris Morris has been selected to coach in one of the three 2012 All-American Bowl games in Minneapolis. The games, in their 17th year, are staggered throughout one day at Mall of America Field at the Metrodome.

The annual All-American Bowl is set for Saturday. There will be three games with players from Division I, Division II, Division III and NAIA participating and will showcase 42 of the nation’s top football players on each team.

“Chris is a great coach. His work ethic, preparation, attention to detail, and relationship to players is simply outstanding,” said Husson head coach Gabby Price.

Morris will help lead his Stripes Red squad in the 2 p.m. game vs. the Stars Blue team.

Husson’s Ernest Wiggins adds football honors

Ernest Wiggins of Husson University has been named to the ECAC Division III North Football All-Star team. The junior defensive end, who also was a New England Football Writers Division II/III All-New England selection, made 93 tackles in 10 games and registered 12 sacks. He led Division III in tackles for a loss (34.5) and forced fumbles (8).

Red Sox sign reliever Uehara

The Boston Red Sox announced the signing of reliever Koji Uehara on Tuesday.

Uehara, 37, will receive a one-year deal with a $4.25 million base salary, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.

The righty posted a 1.75 ERA in 36 innings in 2012, but missed time with a strained lat muscle. He’ll join Andrew Bailey and Junichi Tazawa in Boston’s bullpen. The Red Sox have spent $124.45 million to sign Uehara, Mike Napoli, Shane Victorino, David Ortiz, Jonny Gomes and David Ross.

Bills sign WR Hogan, LB Lloyd

The Buffalo Bills signed wide receiver Chris Hogan and linebacker Greg Lloyd to their 53-man roster from the team’s practice squad.

Linebacker Arthur Moats was placed on injured reserve and wide receiver Donald Jones was assigned to the Reserve/Non-Football Illness.

Hogan spent the previous six weeks on the Bills’ practice squad. An undrafted free agent entered the league with the San Francisco 49ers in 2011 and spent brief stints on the practice squad with the Giants and Miami Dolphins.

Lloyd was a seventh-round (237th) draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2011. He spent the first 11 weeks of last season on the Eagles’ practice squad before being promoted to the 53-man roster on Nov. 29. He traded to the Colts prior to the regular season and released in August.

Jets to start McElroy over Sanchez

The New York Jets have made a switch at quarterback.

Mathematically eliminated from 2012 playoff contention, the Jets announced Tuesday that Greg McElroy will start at quarterback against the San Diego Chargers. The news comes one day after a disastrous four-interception, one fumble performance Monday night from Mark Sanchez in a 14-10 loss to the Titans.

Sanchez has struggled for most of the season. He threw for just 111 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and collected 97 yards and three interceptions a week earlier against the Arizona Cardinals, though the Jets somehow won both those games.

Ryan declined to name a starting quarterback after Monday’s loss, and reports surfaced Tuesday that Sanchez wouldn’t start against the Chargers.

Russian race-walker Morozov gets life ban for doping

MOSCOW — Former world youth race-walking champion Sergey Morozov has been given a life ban for breaking anti-doping regulations, the Russian athletics federation (VFLA) said on Tuesday.

Morozov, 24, who won the 2005 world youth title in the 10,000 metres race walk, has shown an “abnormal haemoglobin profile in his biological passport”, the VFLA said on its website (rusathletics.com).

It was his second doping offence.

The Russian was considered a medal contender for the 2008 Beijing Olympics after setting a 20-km world record time of one hour, 16:43 minutes at the national championships earlier that year.

But his time was never ratified by the world’s governing body IAAF because of a lack of doping control at the event.

Casilla, Giants agree to three-year extension

The San Francisco Giants and reliever Santiago Casilla have reached an agreement on a three-year contract extension, the team announced Monday night.

The deal is worth $15 million, and it includes a vesting option for a fourth year.

Casilla, 32, had a 7-6 record and a 2.84 ERA in 2012, and he became the Giants’ closer after the team lost Brian Wilson to Tommy John surgery early in the season.

Casilla had 25 saves in 31 opportunities, but he was taken out of the closer role later in the season.